Rowena (nee Marfori) was born on May 29, 1939 in Binan, Laguna, Philippines, the youngest of nine children to Ambrosio and Maria (nee Bernardo) Marfori. Rowena spent 30 years working as an accountant for Riggs Bank in Washington DC shortly after moving to the United States in 1968 with her husband, Andres Urcia. After retiring in 1999, Rowena enjoyed traveling on religious pilgrimages, enjoying karaoke and bingo with her friends, spending time with her family, and involvement with her church. Even after suffering a stroke in 2016, she was an actively devoted mother and wife for her family.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Andres, with whom she was married for 56 years, her siblings, Arceli, Virgilia, Josephine, Luz, Alberto, Eduardo, Danilo, and Rogelio, and her parents. She is survived by her sons, Eric and Erwin, her daughter-in-laws, Ewa and Karen, and many nieces and nephews.